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Made in Massachusetts: CommCorp Celebrates Manufacturing Month

Post Date: 10.12.2017

Made in Massachusetts: CommCorp Celebrates Manufacturing Month

Did you know that October is Manufacturing Month? Massachusetts is home to a diverse group of nearly 7,000 manufacturers who produce everything from electronic ink to gluten-free goodies to robotics. To celebrate Manufacturing Month, we are highlighting a few of these “Made in MA” products and would like to introduce you to a few of the truly revolutionary manufacturers in the state.

Manufacturing continues to be an important sector in the Commonwealth’s economy with over 245,000 employees and 6,000+ full and part time job openings as of August 2017. The industry has been experiencing a growing demand for workers and is looking to fill positions as more people are retiring.

See below for some of the products being made right here in our state.

Have you ever looked on the bottom of your shoe and seen a yellow octagon on its sole?You’ve got yourself a Vibram product. Vibram, an Italian company with US headquarters here in MA, manufactures and licenses the production of rubber outsoles for footwear. For all you hikers and people who enjoy the outdoors, you might know them as the maker of the Vibram FiveFingers shoes. Vibram soles can be found on footwear used in heavy industry, the military, law enforcement, and in general outdoor and fashion styles. In addition to footwear, Vibram manufactures a line of disc golf discs.

You’re either one of two types: you prefer the feel of a physical book in your hands, or the convenience of an e-reader. We’re not here to debate which is better, but we were excited to learn that E Ink, the world’s leading innovator of electronic paper display technology (EPD), operates right here in Massachusetts! The company delivers its advanced display products to the world’s most influential brands and manufacturers, enabling them to install extremely durable, low power displays in previously impossible or unimaginable applications and environments.

Do you or someone in your family have to avoid wheat, nuts or gluten? This company has a product you might want to check out. Gillian’s Foods is a small family owned company founded with the purpose of making high quality, gluten-free-foods. The facility is dedicated to a gluten, wheat, tree nut & peanut free environment. Their products include gluten-free rolls, onion rolls, sandwich bread, ziti, pasta, pizza dough, pizza, pie shells, pumpkin pie, cakes, bread crumbs, rice flour, potato flour, tapioca flour, gluten & wheat free mixes.

Have you ever seen footage from deep sea exploration? Perhaps of the Titanic? It’s companies like Hydroid Inc. that make it possible. Hydroid, Inc. is a field-proven technology leader in advanced marine robotics, specifically autonomous underwater vehicles (AUVs).
The company designs and manufactures state-of-the-art solutions for use in a number of applications including marine research, commercial and defense. Their AUVs make undersea exploration safer and more efficient. They have been used in everything from undersea mine countermeasures to deep sea exploration, including mapping the Titanic, to the recovery of downed aircraft (Air France Flight 447).

BionX has an inspirational goal: to restore normalized function and quality of life for people with amputations. More than 1,400 people have experienced the power of BionX’s prosthesis, the only prosthesis with powered propulsion for enhanced mobility. BionX is the creator of both the BioM and emPOWER ankle. emPOWER is the next generation design of the BiOM Ankle.